The Game
by Ada15
Summary: She had to save Misa...but perhaps she could deny Light Yagami his greatest victory as well. AU starting in episode 25. Eventual L/Light


This is my very first Death Note fic. I loved the show but I've always been sort of wary of writing in this fandom, of getting the character voices down right, especially L but I thought I'd try it out. This is AU starting from episode 25…

Okay, so I blame fanfiction for the fact that I like this pairing. I didn't see it when I watched the show…then again; fanfiction is probably the cause of many of my favorite slash pairings.

I don't own Death Note

_Prologue_

So, there it was. The end. She hadn't seen it coming. The hunched over detective sitting a few feet in front of her did not see it coming. Light Yagami knew it. Rem could see it in his stance. His greatest victory to date, at least in his eyes.

He had planned it out so very carefully, backed her into a corner that she could not escape from. She had to protect Misa. He knew it and he knew that there was only one option left to her…or at least, he thought there was.

For a moment, she studied the young detective sitting not two feet from what could be his killer. She had no feelings towards this man but the hatred that sparked in her for Light Yagami burned brightly and she knew that Light Yagami wanted nothing more than a victory over the detective. It was what he wanted most.

Perhaps she could deliver one final blow. She would save Misa but perhaps she could, before she passed, snatch away that thing that Light Yagami wanted most.

Xxxxxxxxx

Light could hardly contain the smirk that wanted to break out on his face when he spotted Rem taking steps towards the back of the room. He turned so that the other men in the room could not see his face. L was solely focused on his computer, waiting.

All of those complicated and risky plans had finally paid off. He would be the one, smirking over L as the light faded in those eyes. It had to be him. The thought of finally beating L had been what had been driving him since he'd first heard that scrambled voice over the television.

He felt a moment of regret that the game would come to an end soon but all games did, and he had to be the one to end it. Two of his problems were about to disappear. His plan would take care of both Rem and L in one final blow.

The blaring of the computers signaled his victory. L's cry of "Watari!", his normally composed voice strained. Light took a step back as the others searched for Rem, as L started to speak, only to stop short mid sentence.

_I've won…_the thought had barely passed through his head before something completely unexpected happen. L did not fall from his chair, clutching his chest. Light did not get to stand over him as he suffered through his last moments of life.

There was no flash of light, no nothing except for a strange sort of popping sound. Light blinked and L was gone.

Xxxxxxxx

His first thought, when he felt the strange pulling sensation form in his chest, was that he had finally lost this game. L was sure of it even before he hit the floor. The sensation invaded his whole body and he was unable to brace his fall.

The pain, however, did not come. At least, not the pain he was expecting. He did land pretty hard on his tailbone before falling all the way to his back but the pain he'd imagined he might feel if he did finally lose to Kira, the pain that came with a short death due to a massive heart attack did not come.

He lay there for several seconds, waiting for it. But when he became aware of the sound of footsteps getting closer, he immediately sat up. Remaining on the floor was hardly the best position to be in, well, in nearly any situation.

When he opened his eyes and met those of the person who had been walking towards him, he stilled completely. For the first time since he had been a very small child, L froze in shock. However, not so much that he did not notice the same reaction in the one standing before him.

Xxxxxxxx

"Ryuzaki!"

Light ignored the yells and the obvious panic, his gaze sweeping the room as he searched. L was gone…not gone in the way that Light had been planning for either. Gone as in vanished into thin air. Given the fact that Light was a boy that had murdered hundreds simply by writing their names in a notebook, there should have been nothing that could surprise him but L…L was always surprising him.

Later, when the shock wore off, he'd realize that it wasn't L that had pulled this surprise. Then the bitterness would settle in as soon as he worked that out. He would never get his victory…


End file.
